onionbagblog

A weekend downpour of Biblical proportions, which can only mean that it’s time for the summer publication of Wivenhoe News.

Blimey.

Sea Defences Saga Flows On is the lead story.

See what they’ve done there?

“There has been much anger and dismay caused by the stripping of vegetation from the seawalls in Wivenhoe alongside our tidal river, both downstream and upstream from the flood barrier.”

The bad science justification that was bungled out by the Environment Agency is also re-published, as is a very kind plug for *cough* the Wivenhoe Forum thread.

What’s new here is the offer by the Natural England - the spineless body that rubber stamped the destruction - to re-plant 5,000 “compensatory trees” - you break our legs and we say thank you when you offer us crutches.

Eight hundred and fifty have been put aside for the North Essex estuary. Don’t go getting your digging spades out just yet, Comrades:

“In the Colne Estuary they [Natural England] have provided 850 small tress to Brightlingsea Town Council for a site to the east of the town.”

If you stand at White House Beach on a clear estuary morning, and then squint out over the water with one eye closed, you may just be able to see the benefits of the trees bestowed upon our beloved Brothers in Brightlingsea.

Cheers.

No worries. What we need is a smiling picture of a lovely local lady to add some cheer to the sea defence doom:

“Workers of Wivenhoe - Shelia Scammell, Lollipop Lady.”

Lovely.

Wivenhoe May Fair 2011 gets the p.2 treatment, in something of an after the Lord Mayor’s Show airing. Time to move on, time to plan and time to restore May Fair as a community event for 2012.

Speaking of Mayor’s, Cllr Sinclair is captured in one of his final acts of civic duty in what has been a busy year. The Guide’s Wedding Party is all part of wearing the Wivenhoe civic chains.

But it’s not all about the Brownies or Girl Guides. On a more serious note, there is a plea on p.2 for a new Scout Leader for Wivenhoe:

“Let’s not beat about the bush: twenty youngsters, full of energy and enthusiasm [and then some] raring to take up the opportunity offered by the Scouting movement.”

This is a BIG role that really needs filling. The Wivenhoe News editorial on p.3 plays with similar themes:

“Off the Rails seems to be looking for pretty much a whole new team, the Wivenhoe Society is limping along with no Secretary and a very small committee, the WEA has been without a Chair for a year and is about to lose its Secretary.

One of the things that you often here in praise of Wivenhoe is ‘there’s so much going on here.’ Well folks - things only happen because people organise them.”

Wise word, but maybe it is a reflection of the work / life balance? There are only so many hours in the day and bills still need to be paid. It’s no secret that I have had to severely cut back on my out of hour’s unpaid activity of late.

On a more lighter note and any news article that contains the phrase: “superb French folk music, played on hurdy-gurdies [geddin there!] and bagpipes” has to be a winner. The Town Meets Gown event gets a mention on p.3.

Dr Philippa Hawley and Halcyon Palmer pen a simply superb local historical account on the various Wivenhoe surgeries dating back over the past Century. It is apt timing, what with the STOP / START / STOP farce of the new Wivenhoe surgery by the Fire Station continuing to stall.

I’m not going to re-publish any of the copy here - this article is worthy of your purchase of Wivenhoe News alone. More of the same please.

The Two Ronnies of Wivenhoe local politics, Cyril Liddy and Dave Purdey, are given the It’s Goodbye From Me, and It’s Goodbye From Him headline.

With sixteen and eight years respectively serving as unpaid Town Councillors, both Cyril and Dave are rightfully given a short column to say a fond farewell.

Of sorts…

Along with Sheila Scammell and her lovely Lollipop Lady tales on p.8, Alison Kent also carries an ACE interview with Ray the Rubbish, the retiring litter picker of Wivenhoe:

“I think you should try to keep the front of your property clean, like the old days. Have pride in where you live.”

Hear, hear.

I didn’t realise that the job was only fourteen hours a week - Ray has seemed to be ever-present during my short stay here. Good luck to James, Ray’s replacement.

Aquatic matters are the concern on p.11. Lifeboat Week gets a deserved plug, as does the Wivenhoe branch of the Royal British Legion:

“Remembrance is a very large part of the Legion’s ethos. Those who attend the Legion Wednesday evenings will know that those who have given their lives in Afghanistan and other places in the service of their nation are individually remembered.”

The building fund for the Legion has been boosted by a donation of over £2,000 from the Boxing Day walk staged by WORC. £690 was also raised at the ACE fireworks display. October 29th is already in the calendar for one of the best nights that Wivenhoe is able to offer.

Next door but one at The Nottage and there is a plug for Water Marks - the Summer Exhibition, featuring local artists Alison Stockmarr, Barbara Peirson and Pru Green.

The exhibition is open on Sundays from 2pm - 5pm until 11th September, and on Regatta Day on 23rd July. It is VERY good. There’s a blog post already being lined up…

Speaking of the Regatta, Wivenhoe News reports:

“There will be the usual wacky races and about thirty stalls and a brass band. The pram race will take place on 22nd July.”

Wivenhoe Youth Hub continues to grow and develop new ideas and partnerships. Page 12 updates with reports on the gig at the Philip Road Centre by local band Rising Soul, a go-karting event organised with Brightlingsea’s 4Youth (reckon we got the better name…) as well as the ACE archery and rowing evening.

What is rather humbling about The Hub is that those involved offer so much more back into the community. There was a considerable presence at the WivSoc riverbank clean up, help offered at May Fair, as well as support for the Crabbing Competition next month down by the Quay.

Likewise good news coming out of the ADP Theatre School:

“Angie Diggens has booked the Colchester Charter Hall for a show with her Wivenhoe students, combining the best of her last two shows at Clacton.”

Saturday 25th June at 7:30pm, £12 a ticket, details on 282020.

Helen Chambers writes a review of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of Oklahoma! at the Loveless Hall:

“The singing was faultless, the whole cast strong and talented.”

And keeping with the Wivenhoe artistic feel, Andy Brooke writes a well-deserved homage to Moving Image:

“It’s great to see people you know in the audience and have a genuine community atmosphere, rather than renting a DVD at home.”

Further details of the Moving Image summer schedule are up on m’blog over here.

The rock ‘n roll rollicking rollercoaster ride that is Radio Wivenhoe (blimey) get a plug on p.14, as does a call for “journalists, bloggers and poets” for Off the Rails. The Wivenhoe Poetry Prize looks forward to the 2011 results as part of the poetrywivenhoe evening at The Greyhound on the 23rd June. Meanwhile a new University of the Third Age art group is starting at the Loveless Hall on 14th September.

All ‘appening - all ‘appening I tell ya.

The good folk of Wivenhoe Bookshop have an entire page to plug future activity, such is the depth of the programme that is on offer. Too much to condense into a throwaway blog paragraph - my suggestion would be to head to the Bookshop for a perusal and a polite chat.

Or even access the new Wivenhoe Bookshop @audioboo account.

Blimey.

Fine work, ladies, mighty fine work.

Open Gardens on p.16 is caught between the publishing deadline and the sheer splendour that was the most splendid event this spring. It remains the highlight to date of My Year in Wivenhoe - wonderful, wonderful community spirit and pleasure.

Keeping it green fingered and Wivenhoe Bloom explain a little more about the brilliant use of dead space on the Wivenhoe Triangle that is overlooked by the Co-op, the opticians and Jardine:

“The site belongs to Highways - it’s classed as a verge - but WTC has a licence to plant. Jardine has contributed a very generous donation of £250 towards the cost of materials and plants.”

I have no shame in plugging local businesses that put something back into the community. An excellent gesture and kind contribution, Cristian. Jolly good work, Jardine.

The Parish Paths Partnership column penned by Helen Evans on p.16 puffs out a huge PHEW after finding out that Essex County Council continues to support the hyperlocal initiative.

Three Wivenhoe rights of way have been worked on by P3 to day: the side of Broomgrove Schools, the back of the houses in Broome Grove and the path along the top of the sea wall - you might have already heard about the latter…

So successful is the Wivenhoe P3 project that the group has now become a roving project. It is the A-Team of parish paths partnerships. If you have a problem with some overgrown bramble around the North Essex estuary, this crack team of cleaners should be first on your To Call list.

Cripes.

The joyous news coming out of p.17 and the WAGA update is:

“Spring is finally here.”

Hurrah!

Mayor Needham (woh!) explains more about the recent Beating the Bounds walk around Wivenhoe:

“The tradition of beating the bounds came from a time when no one, except the rich, could leave the parish without permission. It was a method of ensuring that local youngsters knew the limits of their parish.

It involved choir boys, the Parish Clerk and clergymen, leaving from the church armed with wands or sticks.”

Splendid. Soft lot, nowadays. The tradition was restored on 5th June this year. No young child was hurt in reviving this most excellent local tradition.

Wivenhoe bird watcher supreme Richard Allen explains very helpfully the difference between swifts, swallows and martins on p.18. Recent local sightings include:

“Nightingales have arrived in good numbers with a particularly vocal bird near the railway underpass along the Trail. Butterflies have enjoyed the good early weather.”

The ever-observant @AnnaJCowen (blimey) has also spotted a Jay along the Trail.

It all gets rather saucy at the foot of p.18 with Spoons, Spurtles and Spatulas.

Oh Lordy.

“Members of the Wivenhoe Woods Working Party recently attended a day’s course in green woodworking. Instruction was given on how to turn wood on a pole lathe and make spoons and other utensils using knives and a shave horse.”

Phew.

A Personal View of Transition Town Wivenhoe by the good Bob Mehew on p.19:

“I considered Wivenhoe a good place for a Transition Town: strong community spirit; a great awareness of climate change, environmental and sustainability issues; a willingness to get involved, to learn, to educate, to participate.”

TTW continues to grow and innovate. Wivenhoe is all the better for it.

The Wivenhoe Townscape Forum (*not* the Wivenhoe Forum…) gets a deserved article on p. 19:

“There is much in Wivenhoe of historic interest. There are 73 buildings in the town which are included in the English Heritage list of buildings of national interest.

The local list of historic assets is being carried out with the support of WTC and WivSoc, in order to list some of the best historical features of Wivenhoe which have not yet been recognised so that they do not become forgotten in the huge amount of new building and development.”

Bill Ellis writes a brilliant personal account of life at Cook’s Shipyard when the order books were full, with comparisons of the modern day site. Photos of the new jetty accompany this on p.22.

We return to the seawall clearance on p.24 with Peter Kennedy, the esteemed Editor of Wivenhoe News, explaining the depth of debate that this has delivered:

“We have received many pages of emails and submissions, and I shall attempt some sort of overview.”

A summary of comments and complaints follow. The consensus is that the Environment Agency has been crap at communication.

Fine work then from Wivenhoe News, which has put some direct Q’s to the EA, and received some rather direct answers:

“Q: Were any badgers found during the Wivenhoe work?

A: No - there were no badgers found for the Wivenhoe work.

Q: Are any of the proposed sites for compensatory replanting located in the Wivenhoe area?

A: No. Wivenhoe Marsh has found to be unsuitable.”

That’s what happens when you rip the entire natural habitat out, fellas.

Whoops.

The Surgery Saga Grinds On is the p.25 message from Bernard Jenkin, MP. Nothing to do with your national coalition NHS policy, I trust, Sir?

To be fair to the MP for Harwich and North Essex, our Conservative colleague airs a sense of frustration over the continued delay:

“The Government’s decision to review its health legislation raises the immediate concern that the new Wivenhoe GP surgery will be beset by even more uncertainty. There is no case for this. There is no excuse for further delays, and I have made this clear to the CE of the PCT.”

Speaking of the impact of coalition policies on a hyperlocal level, p.26 explains more about the £9k (!!!!) tuition fees that @Uni_of_Essex proposes to introduce.

Some PR fluff from the University is then re-printed. Twenty-one summers ago and I was fishing around for a University place. £9k (or the inflationary equivalent) would have put me off considerably. I wouldn’t have heard of Wivenhoe. I wouldn’t have moved here.

Oh how fickle is the Invisible Hand that pushes and prongs us through the life’s great adventures.

Blimey.

Town and Gown fiscal relations are restored with news of the £2,200 raised at November’s dinner at the Nottage, and now handed over as a bursary to five grateful local Wivenhoe students.

Broomgrove Infants updates on p.28 with reports of the Royal Wedding celebrations; Broomgrove Juniors explain more about the Outside / In project with Slack Space in Colchester.

Celebrations also at Millfields - a fond farewell to Angela Eglington after twenty-five years of teaching, as well as the school’s very own 30th birthday.

WivSoc rightfully reflects on the success of the riverbank clean up, with seventy volunteers stepping forward to help clean up the Colne. The sad winding up of the Wivenhoe Youth Theatre is lamented, with more positive news coming from the Colne School Choir’s recent performance in Wivenhoe.

Councillor Sinclair reflects upon his past year of civic service wearing the gold chain on p.30:

“I would have like to have seen a healthy election this year as we are entitled to 13 Councillors. Sadly there were only eleven candidates, hence no WTC election.”

Plus:

“A planning application has been lodged to demolish the St John Ambulance Hall for replacement with a privately owned project. I am part of a project to save the building. A group of people have come together, with funds, to keep it as a usable community facility.”

Mayor Needham writes on p.30 about the challenges that lay ahead for his administration:

“The proposed medical centre, a future for the former police station; reaching a satisfactory conclusion to the planning gains associated with the Cook’s Yard development and keeping an eye on the gains that maybe derived from any further development.”

The local politicos were caught cold ahead of publication deadlines. Columns from Essex County Councillor Julie Young, Colchester Borough Councillors Steve Ford and Mark Cory, were all penned before the re-election of the latter two.

Great fun to watch from the sidelines, mind.

On the sporting front and Wivenhoe Tennis Club has a call for new members; Andrew Nightingale, the Chair of the Wivenhoe and District Sporting Facilities Trust is also asking for help - financial help - for Broad Lane. Anymore updates on the mystery Mr X and his millions?

And to finish on some hyperlocal happiness - Wivenhoe Helping Hands publishes a rather humble piece, explaining more about the volunteer work of this organisation and how it is genuinely helping folk around the town.

Wivenhoe News is sold at the Co-op, Crossways, the Post Office, Bryans Newsagents and the lovely Wivenhoe Bookshop.

With the Wivenhoe, Fingringhoe and Rowhedge Ferry now sailing for the summer season, I thought that it was about time that @AnnaJCowen and I explored the Dark Side across the banks of the Colne.

An aborted mountain bike scramble across the Rowhedge Lagoons during those dark, depressing estuary winter days didn’t exactly endear us to that other lot across the Colne. My mountain bike met its match; I met a great big stinking fresh cowpat, which was amazingly the only organic substance that hadn’t frozen solid.

There is something much more civilised though to messing about on the water. For a town that has a history and heritage based around boats, sailing along the estuary provided a lost link to the old and new.

Ever respectful of the river tide, there is roughly a three and a half hour window of opportunity to flirt between Fingringhoe and Rowhedge. With friends staying for the weekend, we chose the Rowhedge route for our first sail. I don’t think I could have kept a straight face explaining that we were off to Fingringhoe.

Running approximately every half hour, it is this relaxed way of working that is the appeal of the Wivenhoe Ferry. Dashing to make the 9:23 out of Wivenhoe Station once a week does my head in. Travel is all about the enjoyment of the journey, and not about a means to an end in reaching your destination.

And so with a half of lager shandy in my hand from the Rose and Crown, we waited by the Ferry boathouse. Our fellow passengers were a young family and a charming dog. Transporting animals and bicycles is at the discretion of the Skipper. You’ll probably be fine with a hound, but I wouldn’t push your luck with a horse.

With the Ferry Man paid (and a bloody ear worm of Chris De Burgh) a single fare of £1.50 was a bargain price for exploring somewhere so close, yet so far away. I made sure that a return leg was possible - spending the evening stranded in Rowhedge wasn’t on the sea faring radar.

We passed a couple of eager young canoeists during our crossing, as well as a tired and emotional crew on a craft that was doing its best Oxford University Boat Race sinking impression. The good Captain was swigging from a bottle of red, and toking on a fag end. If yer gonna go down, best do it in style, fella.

And then just under ten minutes later, we landed.

What now? Bugger off back to Wivenhoe?

Um… Nope. A swift pint in the The Anchor soon became something of an early evening session. This is truly a delightful local pub - a charming landlord, a well-kept beer cellar and the most pleasing of toilets this side of, oh, Fingringhoe up the road.

Fast becoming tired and emotional ourselves, you can see how the booze has the effect of some rather boastful boyhood behaviour from some folk around these parts. Bugger that - a quick consultation with the brilliant Ferry Timetable programme, and our return sail was soon waiting.

Chin chin.

The programme to accompany the 2011 season of sailing has been lovingly put together by the small group of volunteers that so kindly keep the service running. It is worthy of a blog post alone, such is the quality of the beautiful content and ideas based around sailing along the banks of the Colne.

Poems about the river and woods, a short story from David Williams and the usual exceptionally high stand of local bird illustrations from Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s bird watch supreme. Historical maps sit beautifully with the as ever striking linocuts from James Dodds.

The Chairman’s Note looks ahead to the 2012 season - the 20th anniversary of the restoration of the Wivenhoe Ferry. Funding remains an issue as ever. Special thanks is given to Mr Mayor for kindly offering his support through the Mayor’s Charity Fund, as well as generous support front the Wivenhoe Regatta Committee and RBS. Local businesses advertise in the programme, proving that the benefits of the local economy working closely with local service providers.

Having made the brief journey over to the Dark Side, we soon found ourselves back in The Station, purely as part of a scientific experiment to compare and contrast the booze from both sides of the Colne.

New possibilities have now been opened up to us - the Rowhedge Strawberry Fayre in the Village Hall on the 9th July, anyone?

Anchor’s up. Bottom’s up.

Chin chin.

Image Copyright: Richard Allen.

The migrating birds from the east may have eloped away from our estuary Mediterranean April, but the warmer climes has brought some feathered friends who are rather partial to a spot of North Essex sunshine.

Hurrah!

Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s Bird Watcher Supreme, updates for this month with news a prehistoric bird (steady) nightingales and a Whimbrel en route to Scotland from Africa, via Wivenhoe.

Blimey.

“Summer seemed to have arrived early and brought in lots of migrants with it. Our first sighting however was a prehistoric looking Cormorant drying its wings after a successful fishing trip. Nearby our first migrants, a pair of Common Terns perched on a buoy showing their black tipped red bills. We saw several more later, flying up and down the river fishing.

The bushes and wood were alive with warblers, we heard many, but getting a look at them proved a little more difficult. Eventually Whitethroats showed themselves well, and we heard Lesser Whitethroat, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Reed and Sedge Warblers.

Nightingales have also arrived in good numbers, and two were singing in the wood, but apart from my Dad who was trailing behind the group, we didn’t get a glimpse.

Most of the waders have migrated north, but there were still some Black-tailed Godwits fuelling up before their flight to Iceland, many in their chestnut summer plumage. Another northbound migrant was a Whimbrel, this small curlew-like wader winters in Africa and was on its way to Scotland or beyond.

Other sightings included several Oystercatchers and Shelduck looking bright in the sunshine, and a distant Cuckoo was heard calling. On the way back a Marsh Harrier shimmered in the haze, a Kestrel hovered over the meadow, and a male Reed Bunting perched up nicely for some.

Recent sightings: First Swifts on 27th and two Greenshank on the river.

Richard’s next highly recommended bird walk takes place on Saturday 21st May, starting at 10am from outside the Sailing Club. The cost is a very generous £8, with bookings advisable over here.

There is also an opening up of Richard’s studio to coincide with Open Gardens for the weekend of 21st – 22nd May. You can see a selection of Richard’s wonderful bird illustrations in the recently published programme for the Wivenhoe Ferry.

Image copyright: Richard Allen.

Another month, another update from Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s bird watcher supreme. Perhaps the one downside to an estuary spring is the disappearance of the many splendid visitors we have been blessed with over the winter months:

“A beautiful sunny spring morning after a hard frost, and the walk started well with a newly arrived Chiffchaff singing its cheery song behind the Sailing Club.

Other signs of spring included several male Reed Buntings perched up singing or collecting Reedmace down for their nest, and a Meadow Pipit performing its Parachute display flight.

A Dunnock popped up briefly, Robins were singing, as were a group of Siskin which unfortunately remained invisible in the tree tops. Two Greylag Geese were obviously paired up, and others dotted the far bank.

The fast rising and very high tide unfortunately soon pushed the Godwits and Teal off the mud banks, and this combined with some disturbance from canoeists meant few waders were on view at the creek. A single Avocet, a couple of Grey Plover, and a group of Black-tailed Godwits were all that could be mustered.

Flocks of Shelduck loafed offshore, a single Little Grebe bobbed mid channel, whilst a Cormorant took two attempts to land on its favourite drying post. Walking an exaltation of Skylarks, serenaded us, and a pair of Long-tailed Tits finally gave reasonable views.

A strange owl-like call foxed me for awhile until I realised it was a male Marsh Harrier calling high overhead, we were then treated to views of the male and two females over the far reed beds. The final excitement for the tail enders on the way back was an adult Mediterranean Gull showing its fine black hood and red bill.

Recent Sightings: Lots of Chiffchaff and the first Blackcaps, and a pair of Egyptian Geese over Ferry Marsh.”

With the changing season, there’s some changing birds to seek out towards Alresford. Richard has two more walks coming up - Saturday 23rd April and Saturday 21st May. Walks start at 10am outside the Sailing Club, costing £8 per person.

You can contact Richard over here.

Image copyright: Richard Allen.

Another month, another update from the good Richard Allen, Wivenhoe’s very own bird watcher supreme:

“A large and enthusiastic group joined me on a rather grey, but mild morning. There were a lot of birds on show, and we were treated to some spectacular fly-pasts as the flocks of waders were spooked by mostly unseen birds of prey.

We did see a couple of Sparrow hawks which put the roosting flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plover into panic, rising high into bunched defensive formations. There were also large groups of Avocets and Dunlin swirling around along with Redshank and a few Curlews and Black-tailed Godwits.

Earlier a single Mediterranean Gull with its white wing tips had been picked out amongst the more common Black-headed Gulls, and a number of Little Grebes had bobbed around a buoy mid channel.

There was a hint of spring with Skylarks, Robins, Wrens and Chaffinches singing, and a pair of Oystercatchers seemed to have set up territory. On the way back the roosting herons had increased to three, a Little Egret stalked the salt marsh and a Marsh Harrier perched atop a bush beyond the far seawall.

Recent sightings: Buzzards have been in evidence when the spring sunshine has given them some lift above the woods, and a few Fieldfares and Redwings are lingering. Woodpeckers are very active at the moment, and hopefully the first Chiffchaffs will be arriving soon.”

My untrained birding eye is still very much learning how to search and identify many of the remarkable species that find their way around the Colne estuary. With the main winter season almost over, I’ve got a whole summer ahead to play catch up with the reference books.

Still squeezing the last out of the winter wine is Richard, with a couple more guided birding walks before we reach those heady summer days. Saturday 19th March, and Saturday 23rd April, with binoculars at the ready for a 10am start outside the Sailing Club.

You can contact Richard and book a place over here.

Back on the domestic front and @AnnaJCowen has insisted that we take down the bird feeders from the back garden. We’ve been attracting a variety of colourful little friends as the spring starts to settle in North Essex.

Our feathered friends have also been attracting the interest of someone else…

For a community that is often characterised by uptowners and downtowners, I can now add a further geographical dimension to Wivenhoe’s spatial definitions: East or West when it comes to the Colne.

I am very much a West side sort of guy, cycling along the Trail most mornings en route for a swim. It was during this daily journey where I first saw the signs for the sea wall clearance being put in place by the Environment Agency.

I’ve blogged before about how the rather severe haircut of the bushes and brambles has taken away some of the natural beauty heading out towards the Hythe. We can even see a clear view of Rowhedge, what with Ferry Marsh now reverting to being simply a marsh, and not much else.

But I had no idea of the parallel work that was being undertaken out past the Sailing Club and towards Alresford Creek. This is my usual running route, but I’ve been crocked since Christmas.

Therefore I was indebted to the Wivenhoe Forum (whaddya mean you’ve *still* not signed up?) user Fiona, for kindly sharing and showing some concern about the brutal act of countryside vandalism being carried out on the eastside towards the estuary.

Fiona is not alone in feeling that this is countryside pruning being taken a step too far. Login to Facebook, and you can read about other Wivenhoe locals all horrified about the overnight disappearance of some of our outstanding patches of rural beauty.

A spare hour in the working day on Wednesday, and I went off to have a look for myself. I knew it would be a worthwhile trip when the first person I spoke to was Fiona, up towards the top end of Queens Road.

Fiona prepared me for what was to follow - a savage cutting of the bushes, brambles and hedgerows, all the way from the Sailing Club and out as far as where the woodland starts for the old Crab ‘n Winkle line.

The concern now for Fiona and others is exactly how far will this culling of the countryside creep into? All the way out towards Alresford Creek? The signs put in place by the Environment Agency are unclear; clarification has been asked for - no replies have been received as yet.

The issue of communication is quite central to this whole clearance from East to West. It has been confirmed that Wivenhoe Town Council was informed about the planned mass clearance back in August of 2010. The appearance of the bulldozers in recent weeks is the first that many Wivenhoe locals have known about the destruction.

The wander out towards the Creek is perhaps the most scenic and beautiful stretches in all of Essex. This is the view put forward by bird watcher Alex Bass during his talk to the Wivenhoe Society towards the tail end of last year.

Likewise it is used by Wivenhoe birder supreme, Richard Allen. Before the bulldozers moved in, Richard was passing the message around to head down past the Sailing Club for the rare chance to see fifteen waxwings, temporarily taking up residence in one of the now bulldozed bushes.

On a purely personal and selfish front, this now all means that I will have to scramble around somewhere else to pick my blackberries, rosehips and sloes come next September. I’m just pleased that I managed to capture some of the stunning scenery in my hit ‘n miss bike ride video.

And so it seems that the work has been carried out with little public consultation, and at such an alarming pace that has caught uptowners, downtowners, east and west all by surprise.

With most of the Wivenhoe boundary having now been cropped, the Environment Agency diggers are working their way menacingly towards the Crab ‘n Winkle patch that technically falls under Tendring District Council [#bigsociety ahoy!]

Sure, most of the vegetation will eventually grow back - but how long? A year? Two years? Longer? And will the brutal destruction by the Environment Agency then become a regular event in the Wivenhoe calendar? And what of the wildlife, waxwings et al, that we may not see around these parts for some considerable time now?

As a reminder, the reason for the culling is supposedly all about protecting the sea wall. From looking at the images below, I can’t but help think that the exact opposite has been achieved.

Image Copyright: Richard Allen

A busy month for birding news, but sadly our own birding endeavours got buried away under the wintry Wivenhoe weather. And the booze.

Whoops.

But @AnnaJCowen and I sort of made up for our lack of twitching, celebrating the chimes of midnight on New Year’s Eve in the fine company of Richard Allen, Wivenhoe Bird Watcher Supreme.

Speaking, of which - here’s the update from Richard, reflecting back on December’s Wivenhoe Bird Walk, as well as some optimism for the months ahead:

“Lovely warm sunshine was very welcome after the cold snap, and little did we realise it would be the last for some time. The tide was low, coming in fast, but many birds were notable for their absence, Golden Plover, Lapwings and Black-tailed Godwits seemed to have moved on ahead of the cold weather. The birds that were present however were much tamer, concentrating on feeding, stocking up on winter fuel.

We had particularly good views of five Bar-tailed Godwits, usually the rarer of the two Godwits. There were good numbers of Dunlin and Redshank, a few Grey Plover, and a single Avocet posed nicely. A flock of Redwings and Fieldfares called as they flew over, whilst on the river two female Red-breasted Mergansers and a Great-crested Grebe dived for small fish.

Pushing on to the Creek we found lots of birds, but rather distant on into the light, but there were Wigeon, Teal, lots of Shelduck, big numbers of Knot and Brent Geese further down the estuary, and good views of Curlew.
Walking back we had frustrating views of Greenfinches feeding in a rosehip bush, a Skylark gave a little burst of song, while a single female Goldeneye further frustrated us by constantly diving mid river.

Marsh Harriers also appeared on our way back, an immature bird hunted over the far reeds, and an adult male flew across the river towards us, a lovely sight.

Recent sightings: Waxwings have still been turning up, including 15 briefly in my front garden. The cold weather has forced many waterbirds onto the river, including up to 45 Little Grebes, several Coot, Tufted Duck, a flock of nine Goosander and a Scaup. There is a touch of Spring however with Great-Spotted Woodpeckers drumming and Great Tits singing.”

Meanwhile, I’m still struggling with my bird feeder in the back garden. I blame a very welcome (but slightly mischievous) garden guest. But hey hoe - onwards. Our New Year’s Eve merriment with Richard has even inspired the not so frugal @AnnaJCowen to buy a pair of birding binoculars.

Blimey.

The girl could put them to good use later in the month, with a few more Bird Walk dates from Richard:

15th January, 12th February and 19th March. £8 per person, with a maximum group of ten birders. You can place a booking by contacting Richard on 01206 826753.

Plus: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, or some sort of other mixed metaphor. But yeah - In Bird News has a Part II this month:

The early bird catches the worm (um, you get the idea…) and if the dawn chorus is your sort of thing, then allow Alex Bass to guide you along the banks of the Colne at sunrise.

Alex’s recent Colne talk at the Wivenhoe Society contained many fascinating insights into the river and its wildlife. Time to put the theory to the test with a Wivenhoe to Alresford Creek walk, followed by breakfast at the Rose & Crown.

Splendid.

Looking ahead, and Alex will be guiding birders on 28th and 29th May, setting off at 5:30am.

Cripes.

If you are more of an evening bird (or bloke,) then the parallel tours take place on the same days from 6pm - 9pm. You can contact Alex over here for more details.

Image copyright: Richard Allen.

This just in - here’s a wonderful update from the good Richard Allen, bird watcher supreme and esteemed local wildlife illustrator.

You may remember that I was fortunate to take part on a birding walk out towards the Creek with Richard last month. My scribbled notes needed some clarification. Thankfully Richard has sent this more detailed and accurate update:

“Fortunately the fog from the previous day had cleared, although it was still rather grey and murky, and a very high tide was still coming in. Walking along the seawall most of the waders were at their high tide roost further down river, but there was still enough to keep us interested. Lapwings showed very well roosting on the old pontoon, and Curlews used their long bills to probe for worms in the meadow.

A female Reed Bunting perched up on top of a bush, characteristically flicking her tail, and a flock of about forty Redpoll buzzed overhead, whilst Meadow Pipits and Skylarks flitted around the saltmarsh.

The river proved interesting with a single male Red-breasted Merganser and several Little and Great-crested Grebes diving for small fish. Pushing onto the creek past a feeding Little Egret, we arrived at the perfect time to enjoy the mass of birds gathered at the roost.

The small muddy islands held a teeming swarm of Dunlin, Redshank, Oystercatchers, Bar-tailed Godwits and a few Grey Plover, while squadrons of Shelduck and Brent Geese glided down to the water’s edge. A flock of Golden Plover wheeled over, and further downstream a large flock of Avocets circled over their saltmarsh roost. Maybe not as exciting to look at, but unusual here was a single female Scaup diving out in mid channel.

Walking back as the tide receded we enjoyed further views of various waders as they flighted in to feed on the newly exposed muddy margins, and an immature Marsh Harrier perched on a bush on the far side as an adult male flew across the river towards us. Other species seen included Teal, Wigeon, Cormorants, Canada Geese, and some elusive Long-tailed Tits. Recent Sightings along the river include two Velvet Scoters and five Bewick’s Swans, and small groups of Waxwings in Wivenhoe.”

I bumped into Richard once again last week on the west side of the Trail heading out towards the University. I was of course running late, peddling back to base for the morning shift. Richard was taking his time to make the most of the scenery, with a spot of birding thrown in to boost.

Message to self: must slow down. Must start taking this birding lifestyle seriously…

If you would like to enjoy a morning wander out of Wivenhoe in the expert and charming company of Richard (and I strongly recommend that you do,) then you can take part in the next local birding walk. Richard will be leading a group on Saturday 11th December at 10am. You can book a place by calling 01206 826753.